Brad Littlejohn

I hated it from the beginning. It was a job that had me patting down the crotches of children, the elderly and even infants as part of the post-9/11 airport security show. Once, in 2008, I had to confiscate a bottle of alcohol from a group of Marines coming home from Afghanistan. It was celebration champagne intended for one of the men in the group—a young, decorated soldier. He was in a wheelchair, both legs lost to an I.E.D., and it fell to me to tell this kid who would never walk again that… (www.politico.com) Altro...

While we've seen various pictures of Space Shuttle Endeavour on its final flight into LAX, we really haven't seen things from the Air Traffic Controller's perspective... Until now. (fromthecontroltower.blogspot.com) Altro...

Relying on the iPhone map app's directions to get to Fairbanks International Airport is downright dangerous. That’s because the directions take you on a turn-by-turn route to Taxiway Bravo. From there, it's a direct shot across the main runway to the terminal. (www.alaskadispatch.com) Altro...

Qantas, who started the Dallas-Australia route 2 weeks ago the route after its B747 ran low on fuel trying to make the non-stop leg to Brisbane yesterday and had to divert to Noumea to refuel. (www.theage.com.au) Altro...

The physician on call was conferenced in and briefed. The tone of the physician’s analysis indicated that our medical problem might not be dire. This analysis conflicted with that of the onboard doctor. I took a deep breath and sighed inwardly. It was time to put on the proverbial captain’s hat. I looked at my copilot, shook my head, unsnapped the intercom handset from its cradle and pressed the code that would chime the first-class cabin. Liz answered almost immediately. I explained that I… (www.flyingmag.com) Altro...

Following Alaska Airlines and Delta Airlines' footsteps, United Airlines will roll out 11,000 iPads as EFBs to all United/Continental pilots. Distribution of iPads began earlier this month, and all pilots will have them by year end. (www.prnewswire.com) Altro...

A woman took over the controls of a small airplane when her pilot-husband started having trouble breathing and speaking on a flight from California to Colorado. Air Traffic Controllers controller said he wasn't able to make contact with the pilot after the plane began to make erratic maneuvers. The pilot's wife got on the radio to say her husband had been incapacitated. An air traffic controller in Longmont, CO., said he wasn't able to make contact with the pilot after the plane began to make… (www.sacbee.com) Altro...

The Federal Aviation Administration is moving with the times, it would seem, as it has just granted the first approval for the use of iPads instead of paper charts for informing airline pilots while on duty. There are already a number of EFB (electronic flight bag) devices in use, however the iPad is by far the cheapest and most portable one that's been validated yet. (www.engadget.com) Altro...

In 1989, Qantas showed off the range of the B747-400 by flying nonstop from London to Sydney in a little more than 20 hours. The trip required special "high specific gravity" fuel and there were no passengers onboard. Now, over 20 years later, QFA will get to use the ultra-long range model of the B747, with a full load of passengers, on what will be the world's longest nonstop B747 route, Sydney to Dallas. (www.theage.com.au) Altro...

Norman B. Ivans might want to think twice before he tries to land another airplane at the North Las Vegas Airport during the first week of January - if the Federal Aviation Administration lets him fly at all. Why? He crashed two of the same model of aircraft at the airport, exactly 363 days apart. (www.lvrj.com) Altro...